The Tasting Panel magazine

June 2015

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108 / the tasting panel / june 2015
CATEGORY REPORT
In a country that loves throaty V-8s, barbecue and
bone-crunching sports, how did a spirit as delicate
and nuanced as vodka so thoroughly dominate the
limelight? For most consumers, the draw is its purity;
for others, it is vodka's enormous diversity. While
some are gloriously neutral, others are profoundly
personable and laced with flavor.
Whatever the reason, these are the best of times for
vodka enthusiasts. "The vodka category continues
on a steep incline upwards, which is inescapable evi-
dence of its mass popularity," says Michael Dennehy,
of DUN Beverage Partners, importers of Russian
Diamond Vodka. "According to Adam's Beverage
Information Group, the vodka category grew to 72
million cases in 2013, which represents a whopping
34.1% of all distilled spirits sold in the U.S."
To the uninitiated, vodka seems like an uncompli-
cated proposition. But that's far off the mark. They
are the unique product of microclimate, technique
and water. Their base commodities—be they grain,
grapes or potatoes—are nurtured by the sun, rain and
soil. Distillation then renders their essence into the
lightest of all spirits, one unfettered by the weighty
effects of barrel aging. The character of the water is a
most telling ingredient, however. Water is what gives
vodka its singular identity—a genetic fingerprint, if
you will.
The spirit's steadily increasing popularity means that
a stream of interesting new brands will continue
crossing our borders looking for a home in America—
uncovering the gems amongst the multitude of vod-
kas can be daunting.
by Robert Plotkin
SPIRIT OF
What's New with
America's